Description: The interrelationship between brown adipose tissue (BAT) and white adipose tissue (WAT) is emerging as an important factor in obesity, but the effect of impairing non-shivering thermogenesis in BAT on lipid storage in WAT remains unclear. To address this, we have characterized the metabolic phenotype of a mouse model for Costeff syndrome, in which a point mutation in the mitochondrial membrane protein Opa3 impairs mitochondrial activity. Opa3 L122P mice displayed an 80% reduction in insulin-like growth factor 1, postnatal growth retardation and hepatic steatosis. A 90% reduction in uncoupling protein 1 (UCP1) expression in interscapular BAT was accompanied by a marked reduction in surface body temperature, with a 2.5-fold elevation in interscapular BAT mass and lipid storage. The sequestration of circulating lipid into BAT resulted in profound reductions in epididymal and retroperitoneal WAT mass, without affecting subcutaneous WAT. The histological appearance and intense mitochondrial staining in intra-abdominal WAT suggest significant ‘browning’, but with UCP1 expression in WAT of Opa3 L122P mice only 62% of that in wild-type littermates, any precursor differentiation does not appear to result in thermogenically active beige adipocytes. Thus, we have identified Opa3 as a novel regulator of lipid metabolism, coupling lipid uptake with lipid processing in liver and with thermogenesis in BAT. These findings indicate that skeletal and metabolic impairment in Costeff syndrome may be more significant than previously thought and that uncoupling lipid uptake from lipid metabolism in BAT may represent a novel approach to controlling WAT mass in obesity.

Description: To use lymphocytes as surrogate cells to investigate their in vitro sensitivities to ultraviolet (UV) treatment in different cancers and precancerous states by comparison with lymphocytes from healthy control individuals was the main aim of this research. UV light induces precise cellular and genomic mutations. In this study, the effect of ultraviolet A (UVA) (320–400 nm) was used as a generic mutagen to evaluate in vitro different sensitivities from lymphocytes of patients with suspected melanoma (SM), malignant melanoma (MM), polyposis coli (PC) and colorectal cancer (CRC). DNA damage was evaluated by two different methods: the micronucleus (MN) assay and the Comet assay. The baseline frequency of MNs was significantly increased in lymphocytes from all patients (SM, MM, PC and CRC) when compared to healthy individuals. After UV irradiation, MN frequencies were significantly increased in lymphocytes of all groups, both patients and healthy individuals. However, the MN frequency in all patient groups was significantly higher than in the healthy individual group. Similar results for the induction of genomic DNA damage were obtained for the Comet assay. Also for the Comet assay, UVA-induced DNA damage for all four patient groups was significantly increased when compared to healthy individuals (SM, MM, PC and CRC groups: P 〈 0.001). Conclusively, peripheral lymphocytes from patients with cancers MM and CRC or precancerous states SM and PC are more sensitive to a generic mutagen such as UVA than lymphocytes from healthy individuals. This feature may be used as an essential biomarker to screen and diagnose precancerous states and cancers in early stages.

Description: We present Herschel /PACS 100 and 160 μm integrated photometry for the 323 galaxies in the Herschel Reference Survey (HRS), a K -band, volume-limited sample of galaxies in the local Universe. Once combined with the Herschel /SPIRE observations already available, these data make the HRS the largest representative sample of nearby galaxies with homogeneous coverage across the 100–500 μm wavelength range. In this paper, we take advantage of this unique data set to investigate the properties and shape of the far-infrared/submillimetre spectral energy distribution in nearby galaxies. We show that, in the stellar mass range covered by the HRS (8  log ( M * /M )  12), the far-infrared/submillimetre colours are inconsistent with a single modified blackbody having the same dust emissivity index β for all galaxies. In particular, either β decreases or multiple temperature components are needed, when moving from metal-rich/gas-poor to metal-poor/gas-rich galaxies. We thus investigate how the dust temperature and mass obtained from a single modified blackbody depend on the assumptions made on β. We show that, while the correlations between dust temperature, galaxy structure and star formation rate are strongly model dependent, the dust mass scaling relations are much more reliable, and variations of β only change the strength of the observed trends.

Description: We use dust scaling relations to investigate the hypothesis that Virgo cluster transition-type dwarfs are infalling star-forming field galaxies, which is argued based on their optical features (e.g. discs, spiral arms and bars) and kinematic properties similar to late-type galaxies. After their infall, environmental effects gradually transform them into early-type galaxies through the removal of their interstellar medium and quenching of all star formation activity. In this paper, we aim to verify whether this hypothesis holds using far-infrared diagnostics based on Herschel observations of the Virgo cluster taken as part of the Herschel Virgo Cluster Survey. We select transition-type objects in the nearest cluster, Virgo, based on spectral diagnostics indicative for their residual or ongoing star formation. We detect dust ( M d ~ 10 5-6 M ) in 36 per cent of the transition-type dwarfs located on the high end of the stellar mass distribution. This suggests that the dust reservoirs present in non-detections fall just below the Herschel detection limit (1.1 10 5 M ). Dust scaling relations support the hypothesis of a transformation between infalling late-type galaxies to quiescent low-mass spheroids governed by environmental effects, with dust-to-stellar mass fractions for transition-type dwarfs in between values characteristic for late-type objects and the lower dust fractions observed in early-type galaxies. Several transition-type dwarfs demonstrate blue central cores, hinting at the radially outside-in removal of gas and quenching of star formation activity. The fact that dust is also confined to the inner regions suggests that metals are stripped in the outer regions along with the gas. In the scenario of most dust being stripped from the galaxy along with the gas, we argue that the ejected metals by transition-type dwarfs significantly contribute to the enrichment of the intracluster medium over the lifetime of the Virgo cluster. The accretion of gas through tidal interactions and re-ignition of star formation in the centres of transition-type dwarfs could provide an alternative explanation for the observed dust scaling relations and blue central cores.

Description: Herschel far-infrared (FIR) observations are used to construct Virgo cluster galaxy luminosity functions and to show that the cluster lacks the very bright and the numerous faint sources detected in field galaxy surveys. The FIR spectral energy distributions are fitted to obtain dust masses and temperatures and the dust mass function. The cluster is overdense in dust by about a factor of 100 compared to the field. The same emissivity (β)–temperature relation applies for different galaxies as that found for different regions of M31. We use optical and H i data to show that Virgo is overdense in stars and atomic gas by about a factor of 100 and 20, respectively. Metallicity values are used to measure the mass of metals in the gas phase. The mean metallicity is ~0.7 solar, and ~50 per cent of the metals are in the dust. For the cluster as a whole, the mass density of stars in galaxies is eight times that of the gas and the gas mass density is 130 times that of the metals. We use our data to consider the chemical evolution of the individual galaxies, inferring that the measured variations in the effective yield are due to galaxies having different ages, being affected to varying degrees by gas loss. Four galaxy scaling relations are considered: mass–metallicity, mass–velocity, mass–star formation rate and mass–radius – we suggest that initial galaxy mass is the prime driver of a galaxy's ultimate destiny. Finally, we use X-ray observations and galaxy dynamics to assess the dark and baryonic matter content compared to the cosmological model.

Description: BACKGROUND Mechanisms underlying the inverse relationship between height and cardiovascular mortality are unknown but could relate to central hemodynamics. We sought to determine the relation of height to central and peripheral hemodynamics, as well as clinical characteristics. METHODS The study population was comprised of 1,152 randomly selected community-dwelling adults (aged 67.7±12.3 years; 48% men). Brachial blood pressure (BP) was recorded by sphygmomanometry; central BP and aortic pulse wave velocity were estimated by applanation tonometry. Stepwise multiple regression analysis was used to determine associations between height and central and peripheral hemodynamics. RESULTS Height was not significantly associated with aortic pulse wave velocity in men or women. The relationship with height and brachial systolic BP was borderline in women ( β = –0.115; P = 0.051) but not significant in men ( β = –0.096; P = 0.09). Conversely, central systolic BP, estimated by transfer function ( β = –0.139 for men [β M ]; β = –0.172 for women [β W ]) or radial second systolic peak ( β M = –0.239; β W = –0.281), augmentation index at 75 bpm ( β M = –0.189; β W = –0.224), and aortic pulse wave timing ( β M = 0.224; β W = 0.262) were independently associated with height in both sexes ( P 〈 0.003 for all). Both men and women of greater than median height were less likely to have coronary artery disease ( P 〈 0.05), to have systemic hypertension ( P 〈 0.01), or to be taking vasoactive medication ( P 〈 0.001) compared with participants of less than median height. CONCLUSIONS Even after correcting for conventional cardiovascular risk factors, taller individuals have more favorable central hemodynamics and reduced evidence of coronary artery disease compared with shorter individuals. These findings may help explain the decreased cardiovascular risk associated with being taller and also have important clinical consequences regarding therapy.

Description: We present completed observations of the NGC 7448 galaxy group and background volume as part of the blind neutral hydrogen Arecibo Galaxy Environment Survey. Our observations cover a region spanning 5° x 4°, over a redshift range of approximately –2000 〈 cz  〈 20 000 km s –1 . A total of 334 objects are detected, mostly in three overdensities at cz  ~ 7500, cz  ~ 9600 and cz  ~ 11 400 km s –1 . The galaxy density is extremely high (15 deg –2 ) and many (~24 per cent) show signs of extended H  i emission, including some features as much as 800 kpc in projected length. We describe the overall characteristics of this environment: kinematics, typical galaxy colours and mass-to-light ratios, and substructure. To aid in the cataloguing of this data set, we present a new fits viewer ( frelled : fits Realtime Explorer of Low Latency in Every Dimension). This incorporates interactive source cataloguing tools which increase our source extraction speed by approximately a factor of 50.

Description: The Herschel Fornax Cluster Survey is a deep, far-infrared (FIR) survey of the Fornax cluster. The survey is in five Herschel bands (100–500 μm) and covers an area of 16 deg 2 centred on NGC 1399. This paper presents photometry, detection rates, dust masses, and temperatures using an optically selected sample from the Fornax Cluster Catalogue. Our results are compared with those previously obtained using data from the Herschel Virgo Cluster Survey (HeViCS). In Fornax, we detect 30 of the 237 (13 per cent) optically selected galaxies in at least one Herschel band. The global detection rates are significantly lower than Virgo, reflecting the morphological make up of each cluster – Fornax has a lower fraction of late-type galaxies. For galaxies detected in at least three bands, we fitted a modified blackbody with a β = 2 emissivity. Detected early-type galaxies (E/S0) have a mean dust mass, temperature, and dust-to-stars ratio of log 10 (〈 M dust 〉/M ) = 5.82 ± 0.20, 〈 T dust 〉 = 20.82 ± 1.77 K, and $\log _{10}(M_{\rm dust}/M_{\text{stars}}) = -3.87 \pm 0.28$ , respectively. Late-type galaxies (Sa to Sd) have a mean dust mass, temperature, and dust-to-stars ratio of log 10 (〈 M dust 〉/M ) = 6.54 ± 0.19, 〈 T dust 〉 = 17.47 ± 0.97 K, and $\log _{10}(M_{\rm dust}/M_{\text{stars}}) = -2.93 \pm 0.09$ , respectively. The different cluster environments seem to have had little effect on the FIR properties of the galaxies and so we conclude that any environment-dependent evolution has taken place before the cluster was assembled.